Dial-lighting attachment for telephones



April 7, 1931.

R. GILREATH ET AL 1,799,742

DIAL LIGHTING ATTACHMENT F'OR TELEPHONES Filed Feb. 28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet l Roy Gz Zreat/b, ffaZZ'a' l Gazrmz/p,

1N! EX TORS 1 TTORN'EY.

April 7, 1931.

DIAL LIGHTING ATTACHMENT FOR TELEPHONES Filed Feb. 28, 1930 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 L \i z Fqy 'q'lreat/v, ffa Zia/l 6? [mm Z70,

INVIi/Y TOR-S R. GILREATH ET AL 99,742

Patented Apr. 7, 1931 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ROY GILBEATH AND KILLER L. GILREATH, OI KNOXVILLE, '1 III I I Application filed February 28, mo. Serial in. 482,184.

The present invention relates to improvements in telephone attachments and has reference more articularl to a device for illuminating t e dial an automatic telephone. j

One of the important objects of the present invention is to provide a dial lightin attachment wherein means is provided or automatically closing a switch in circuit with the light or lamp when the receiver is removed from the hook.

Another important object is to provide a structure of the above-mentioned character wherein means is provided for breaking the circuit to the'lam An auxiliary switch is associated with t e main switch in circuit with thelamp, said auxiliary switch being operable to open the circuit and cut off the source of light to the dial.

Another ob'ect is to rovide a dial lighting attachment t at can he readil and easily installed on an automatic tele one without necessitating any material a terations and further without detracting from the appearance of the telephone or interfering with its usual operation.

Still another object is to provide a dial lighting attachment that will at all times be positive and efiicient in its operation, the

' 80 same being further simple in construction,

inex ensive, strong and durable.

Ot er objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the following description when taken in connection with the accompanyin drawings.

In the accompanying rawings wherein like reference characters indicate corresponding parts throughout the several views Figure 1 is a front elevation of an automatic telephone showing our improved dial lighting attachment associated therewith.

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view taken a proximately on the line 22 of Figure 1, t e telephone being shown in side elevation.

Figure 3 is a transverse section taken approximately on the line 33 of Figure 2 looking downwardly.

Figure 4" is a similar section taken substantially on the line 4-4 of the same figure.

' Figure 5 is a diagrammatic view of the other source of su wiring system for the present invention; and Figure 6 is a view similar to Figure 2 showmg a modification of the auxiliary switch actuating mechanism wherein the same is of.

an automatic nature.

In the drawings, with reference more particularly to Figures 1 to 4 inclusive, wherein there is shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, the numeral 1 designates generally an automatic telephone of the conventional construction, the same including a base 2 upon which is arranged the dial 3 operable for enabling a subscriber to make the desired telephone connection with another subscriber. Extending upwardly from the base 2 is the standard 4 having the transmitter 5 mounted -on the upper end thereof. The vertically movable arm that sup orts the telephone receiver is shown at 6, t e outer end of the arm being formed with the usual yoke :7 to. support the receiver 8 when the latter is not in use.

Our dial lighting attachment includes a vertically disposed copper tube 9 that is sup- 75 ported adjacent the standard .4 by means of the clamps 10, said clamps bein carried by the vertical tube 9 and having c amping engagement around the standard 4 as clearly shown in the drawings. The upper end of the copper tube is curved. anddirected forwardly and carried by the free end of the curved portion of the copper tube is the electric lamp unit denoted generally by the numeral 11. The lamp unit includes a socket for the reception of the bulb, with a reflector surrounding the bulb and a lens in front of the bulb.

The lamp unit 11 isdisposed in such a manner as to direct a beam of light directly upon the dial 3 to'illuminate the same when the telephone is to be used at night or when the telephone is installed in a poorly lighted place. An electric cord or wire 12 extends through the tube 9 for connection with the lamp unit 11, the other end of the wire being adapted for connection with aconventional plug (not shown) which is adaptedto engage w1th a suitaple socket in a. wall or A horizontally i sposed bracket 13 is carion ried by the curved upper end of the tube 9 and supported on this bracket 13 is the laterally disposed insulating block 14, the same being disposed directly above the vertically movable arm 6. A pair of spaced contacts 15 and 16 are secured to the under side of the insulating block 14, the spring contact fingers being arran ed in opposed relation with the free ends t ereof disposed in overlapping relation and beingnormally spaced apart as suggested very clearly in the diagrammatic view in Figure 5. It is also to be understood that the spaced inner opposed ends of the contact fingers 15 and 16 are also arranged directly above the vertically movable arm 6 which arm constitutes the main switch for bringing the contacts into engagement with each other as will be presently described.

The outer end of the spring contact finger 16 terminates in the depending foot 17 and a suitable housing 18 is attached to the insulating block 14 and encloses the depending foot 17 as well as providing a means for receiving the bracket 19 on which is pivoted the lever 20. This lever extends through an opening in one side of the housing or casing 18 for disposition below the vertically movable arm 6 and the projecting outer end of the lever constitutes a handle for actuating the same while the inner end of the lever cooperates with the depending foot 17 to provide an auxiliary-switch for a purpose also to be presently described. The contacts 15 and 16 as well as the depending foot and pivoted lever are all arranged in the same circuit with the lamp unit 11. The operation of the dial lighting attachment shown in Figures 1 to d inclusive may be briefly stated as follows. Normally when the receiver 8 is supported by the hooked arm 6, the lever 20 will be disposed in the position shown in the dotted lines in Figure 2 so that the inner end of the lever will have wiping engagement with the depending foot 17. At the same time, the contacts 15 and 16 will be out of engagement with each other so that the circuit through the lamp units 11 will remain open. However immediately upon the receiver 8 being removed from the arm 6 said arm will swing upwardly and will cause the contacts 15 and 16 to engage with each other, the inner end of the lever 20 remainin in engagement with the depending foot 1 so that the circuit through the lamp units 11 will be automatically closed causing a beam of light to be directed downwardly on the dial 3 thereby permitting a subscriber to properly actuate the dial to make the desired telephone connection with another subscriber. As soon as the-proper connection has been made, the projecting outer end of the lever 20 is raised upwardly to the full line position shown in Figure 2 thus moving the inner end of the lever out of engagement with the depending foot 17 and breaking the circuit to the lamp unit 11 thus cutting ofl the light.

In Figure 6 of the drawings, we have shown a modification of the auxiliary switch structure wherein the same is automatically operated and to this end, a dash pot 21 of any conventional construction is carried by the insulating block 14 and the movable piston 22 of the dash pot is operatively connected to the inner end of the lever 20 through the medium of the connecting rod 23. The operation. of the auxiliary switch is, however, the sane as that previously described with reference to the lever being manually actuated.

It will thus be seen from the foregoing description, that we have provided a dial llghting attachment for telephones that will at all times be positive and efficient in its operation and due to its simplicity, the same can be readily and easily attached on an automatic telephone without necessitating any material alterations and further without detracting from the appearance of the telephone.

While we have shown the preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that minor changes in the size, shape and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of the invention and the scope of the appended claims.

What we claim as new is 1. A dial lighting attachment for telephones comprising an electric lamp and circuit, a support for the lamp attached to the standard of a telephone, an insulating block arranged on they support above the vertically movable arm of the telephone, spaced con tacts carried by the insulating block for disposition above said arm and arran ed in circuit with the lamp, said contacts eing normally spaced apart but in engagement with each other when the arm moves upwardly and engages said contacts to close the circuit to the lamp, and an auxiliary switch arranged in the lamp circuit, said auxiliary switch being normally closed and capable of being moved to an open position to break the circuit to the lamp, the auxiliary switch being automatically actuated.

2. A dial lighting attachment for telephones comprising an electric lamp and circuit, a support for the lamp attached to the standard of a telephone, an insulating block arranged on the support above the vertically movable arm of the telephone. spaced contacts carried by the insulating block for disposition above said arm and arranged in circuit with the lamp, said contacts being normally spaced apart but in engagement with each other when the arm moves upwardly and engages said contacts to close the circuit to the lamp, and an auxiliary switch arranged in the lamp circuit, said auxiliary switch being normally closed and capable of being moved to an open position to break the circuit to the lamp, said auxiliary switch including a depending foot caried by one of the aforementioned contacts, and a. pivoted lever having engagement with the depending foot.

3. A dial lighting attachment for telephones comprising an electric lamp and circuit, a support for the lamp attached to the standard of a telephone, an insulating block arranged on the support above the vertically movable arm of the telephone, spaced contacts carried by the insulating block for disposition above said arm and arranged in circuit with the lamp, said contacts being normally spaced apart but in engagement with each other when the arm movesupwardly and engages said contacts to close the circuit to the lamp, and an auxiliary switch arranged in the lamp circuit, said auxiliary switch being normally closed and capable of being moved to an open position to break the circuit to the lamp, said auxiliary switch including a dependin foot carried by one of the aforementioned contacts, and a pivoted lever having enga ement with the depending foot, the outer en of the lever forming an actuating handle for moving the same'out of engagement with the depending foot.

4. A dial lighting attachment for telephones comprising an electric lamp and circuit, a support for the lamp attached to the standard of a telephone, an insulating block arranged on the support above the vertically movable arm of the telephone, spaced contacts carried by the insulating block for disposition above said arm and arranged in circuit with the lamp, said contacts being normally spaced apart but in engagement with each other when the arm moves upwardly and engages said contacts to close the circuit to the lamp, and an auxiliary switch arranged in the lamp circuit, said auxiliary switch. be-

ing normally closed and capable of being moved to an open position to break the circuit to the lamp, said auxiliary switch including a depending foot carried by one of the aforementioned contacts, and a pivoted leverhaving engagement with the depending foot, the outer end of the lever forming an actuating handle for moving the same out of to the lamp, said auxiliary switch including a depending foot carried by one of the aforementioned contacts, and a pivoted lever having engagement with the depending foot, and a dash pot operatively connected with one end of the lever for automatically actuating the same to an inoperative position.

In testimony whereof we afiix our signatures.

ROY GILREATH. HALLER L. GILREATH.

engagement with the depending foot, said handle being disposed beneath the vertically movable arm whereby the same will be automatically actuated to return the lever to its initial position in engagement with the depending foot when said arm is moved downwardly. I '5. A dial lighting attachment for telephones comprismg an electric lam and circuit, a support for the lamp attac ed to the standard of a telephone, an insulating block arranged on the support above the vertically movable arm of the telephone, spaced contacts carried by the insulating block for disposition 

